Here are the volunteers and some of the guests who enjoyed a community Christmas Dinner together in Cwmbran today.
The community hall by the traffic lights on Henllys Way looked stunning, with decorations covering the wall, tables and even the ceiling.
The event has been held every 25 December for around ten years, and was started by the late Diane O’Neil. Today her husband Tony is still involved. Look out for a video with him on Cwmbran Life later today.
It’s evolved from being dinner for people who are homeless to simply being somewhere for anyone who wants to enjoy a meal with company. Single people, some couples, and a family with three young children- all wearing cute reindeer hats- were settling down on the tables while I was there.
I popped in at around 10.45am and stayed for 90 minutes. If only Cwmbran Life had ‘smellavision’ for readers to enjoy the aromas coming from the kitchen
I bumped into a man in the street outside and he asked for three takeaway dinners to be put in the bag he brought to take back for his family. Volunteers got his order and he was given the food including three chocolate fudge cakes for pudding 🙂 As I walked off, he wished me a “merry Christmas”. 🙂
Denise Wright, from Pontypool, told me: “I live on my own. I get tensed up and anxious on my own. I like company, to be honest I do. It’s nice, gorgeous it is, lovely here.”
Gaynor Walker was with her partner, Graham. She said: “I used to be by myself so I used to come every year when Diane and Tony were running it. But I thought I’d come this year, Tony asked me. It was so lovely in the previous years.
“[The room is] stunning, absolutely beautiful and I think a lot of people are going to enjoy themselves.”